> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Look up a car by VIN
> Scan or enter a VIN on your phone to open the right car record—or start a new intake when the vehicle is not in your system yet.
Use **Look Up Car** when someone hands you a windshield VIN sticker, a registration card, or a key tag and you need the matching record right away.
This guide is especially helpful on a phone or tablet while you are walking the lot. You do not need to type the full 17-character VIN by hand if your device camera can scan the barcode.
## What you will accomplish
You will either open the correct car detail page in seconds, or start a **new car intake** when that VIN is not in your facility yet.
**Expected outcome:** You land on the right [car record](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) with full history, parking location, and customer details—or you begin a photo walkthrough with the VIN already filled in.
## When to use VIN lookup
* A vehicle is on your lot but you are not sure which record matches the windshield sticker.
* A customer calls about a car and you have the VIN from their paperwork.
* A new vehicle is arriving and you want to confirm it is not already in your system before creating a duplicate record.
* You are doing a quick lot walk and want the fastest path to each car's page.
## Before you start
* Sign in to the dashboard on your phone or tablet.
* Allow camera access when the browser asks. VIN scanning needs the camera.
* Have the VIN visible on the vehicle, registration, or insurance card.
**Desktop tip**
The **Scan** button lives in the bottom navigation bar on phones and small tablets. On a wide desktop screen you may not see that bar. Use [Find and filter cars](/docs/cars/find-and-filter-cars) and search by VIN instead, or open [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) and use **Create New Car** when you know the vehicle is new.
*On a phone, **Scan** sits in the bottom bar between **Home** and the round **New** button. Tap it to open **Look Up Car**.*
## Open the VIN lookup screen
Sign in and go to any dashboard page—for example [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) or your home screen.
**Expected result:** You see the bottom bar with icons along the lower edge of the screen.
In the bottom navigation bar, tap **Scan** (the barcode icon between the first menu item and the round **New** button).
**Why this matters:** **Scan** is built for fast lot work. It is separate from **New**, which starts scheduling work instead of searching records.
The first time you use VIN lookup, your browser may ask for camera permission. Tap **Allow**.
**Expected result:** A screen titled **Look Up Car** appears with a live camera view and the message to scan a VIN.
*Tap **Scan** in the bottom bar, then point your camera at the VIN barcode on the windshield or door jamb.*
## Enter the VIN by hand when scanning is hard
Windshield stickers fade, door jambs get dirty, and some cars sit too close together for a clean camera view. You can still use **Look Up Car** without scanning.
Tap **Scan** on your phone or tablet dashboard.
On the **Look Up Car** screen, tap **Enter VIN manually** (or a similar link below the camera view).
**Expected result:** A text box labeled **Enter VIN Manually** appears.
Type all 17 characters exactly as they appear on the registration or sticker. The app usually converts letters to uppercase for you.
**Tip:** Read the VIN left to right in three groups—characters 1–3 (world manufacturer), 4–8 (vehicle attributes), and 9–17 (serial plus check digit). Saying the groups out loud helps avoid transposing letters.
**Why this matters:** One wrong character can point to a different vehicle—or show **Car Not Found** when the car is actually on file.
Tap the main button to search your facility's records.
**Expected result:** You either land on the matching car page or see **Car Not Found** (see the next section).
*Use **Enter VIN manually** when the windshield sticker is faded, dirty, or hard to reach with the camera.*
## If the car is already in your system
Hold your phone steady so the barcode fits inside the camera frame. The app reads the VIN automatically when the scan is clear.
You can also type the VIN manually if the sticker is damaged or hard to reach.
A short **Looking up car...** message appears while the system searches your facility's records.
**Expected result:** When a match is found, you see a success message with the year, make, and model, then land on that car's detail page.
On the car detail page, check the banner title and the **VIN** field in **Vehicle Details** before you move the car, add notes, or talk with the customer.
**Why this matters:** One wrong digit in a VIN can point to a different vehicle. A five-second check prevents costly mistakes.
## If the car is not in your system yet
When the VIN does not match any record, the screen shows **Car Not Found** with the VIN you scanned or typed.
***Car Not Found** means this VIN is not in your facility yet—not that the scan failed.*
Confirm the VIN on screen matches the sticker on the vehicle. If it does not, tap **Scan Again** and rescan.
Tap **Create a New Car With This VIN**. The app starts a photo walkthrough intake with the VIN already attached.
**Expected outcome:** You follow the walkthrough steps to capture photos and readings, then the system creates a new car record. See [Add a car](/docs/cars/add-a-car) for what happens next.
Tap **Scan Again** when the barcode was blurry, partially covered, or you scanned the wrong vehicle.
**Avoid duplicate records**
Before you create a new car, search [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) by plate or customer name if the VIN scan fails. Some older vehicles have hard-to-read stickers, but the car may already be on file under a slightly different spelling.
## Troubleshooting
**The camera will not open**
Check your browser or phone settings and make sure the site can use the camera. Close other apps that might be using the camera, then try **Scan** again.
**The scan never finishes**
Move to better light, wipe the sticker, and hold the phone steadier. If scanning still fails, type the full VIN manually on the lookup screen.
**I found the car but need to edit details**
Open [View and edit vehicle details](/docs/cars/view-and-edit-vehicle-details) to update plate, customer, insurance, and other fields after the lookup.
## What to do next
* When the car is new, finish intake with [Add a car](/docs/cars/add-a-car) or continue the walkthrough you started from VIN lookup.
* When the car already exists, assign parking with [Move a car](/docs/cars/move-a-car) or review history with [Review car activity, notes, and photos](/docs/cars/review-car-activity-notes-and-photos).
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